The Inconvenient Truth
by BlackBirdPie
Summary: One-shot, Emily and Sam's relationship, and what happens when they get a little older... Also, not really pro-Emily, or pro-Leah for that matter. Fo' sho' not pro-Sam.


**I don't know where this came from - because honestly, not a big Emily fan. But, really, Sam knows how to messy something up, and I wouldn't put it past him. It's unusual for me though, because I typically write Leah's character in a better light...so check out my other stories for that view of her! ;)**

**The Inconvenient Truth**

"I know." That was all she said. It was all it took.

She was about fifty now, wrinkles circling around her still pretty face. Especially the laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. More distorted around the scars. She was still beautiful, but could no longer pass for young.

Her long black braid was beginning to streak with grey, her shoulders were becoming more stooped.

But he still looked the same, frozen at twenty-five.

"I know why you're not going to stop phasing."

He looked up, she saw mild shock passing through his face.

"Someone needs to lead the pack…" He started out stupidly.

"Jacob can do that now." Her voice was not sharp, not accusing. Only gentle, sure. Because she never thought Sam would lie to her, but she could tell he was now.

He didn't say anything, only looked back down at his oatmeal.

She sighed, looking back down at her own. This was about the thousandth time they had eaten breakfast together, but it had never been like this. At least, not at fist.

She had taken his love for granted. Not that she had never loved him back, but she had always thought he would love her. Emily never thought that he would move on…or move back.

The only ones left, the only ones who were still phasing were Sam, Jacob, and Leah. Quil was trying to stop, because Claire had caught up with him. Jacob's wife was an immortal, he would never stop phasing, Emily was sure.

But Sam had no reason that he could give her.

Except for the unspoken one. Except for Leah.

Leah would come over to the house for the pack meetings, and there would be a second that Emily would hate her.

While it hurt her bones to make the trip from the chair to standing, Leah was still youthful. No lines covered her face, her hair was still the color of a clear night.

The only difference was her smile.

Emily thought she was probably the only one who saw it.

At first Emily thought maybe she had met someone else, she had even teased her about it.

"New guy, Leah?" She bumped hips with her, grinning, and Leah smiled back, looking down but not saying anything.

Oh, if only Emily had known. But, she wouldn't have done anything differently.

Hadn't she done the same thing to Leah, taking Sam away, had she not caused Leah the same type of unhappiness?

Because she could see it in her husband and cousin's eyes, they were waiting for her to die before they could be together.

Sam had imprinted on her nearly thirty years ago, and he loved her just as much now as he did then she was sure, only now, he loved Leah too.

And who was she, just a human, nothing immortal, enduring, about her at all to not let him have his chance at an eternal happiness.

She could put up with her own feelings for a couple of decades, right?

It had started out slowly, Sam's shifting away from her.

Probably when she was thirty, she reasoned, he should have tried to stop phasing by then. But then went five years, and he was still alpha. Then ten years, and nothing had changed. Except for Leah, everyone had stopped complaining about her, they had stopped calling her the "harpy bitch", and Emily was happy that her cousin had at last found some peace.

She twisted the ring on her left hand, with its larger joints, and fingers like tree branches, none perfectly straight.

They both started talking at the same time, Emily stopped, gesturing for him to continue.

He swallowed. "I…should go. We have pack duties…"

She shut her eyes slowly, suddenly feeling much too old. "Alright." She said finally. "Be careful."

He went over and kissed her on the crown of her head. And it sort of broke her heart, because she remembered, and it did not seem that long ago, she remembered when every time he had left the house he would swoop her up into a crushing hug, he would kiss her so that she felt like _he _was her breath.

But now it had come to this.

"Love you" She tried.

"You too." He squeezed her shoulder and walked through the door, Emily didn't have to turn around to know how his shoulders would be hunched. How he would be ashamed, and couldn't wait to leave. And at the same time couldn't wait to get to Leah.

_Oh Sam,_ she thought, _what messes you can make._


End file.
